Crowns on the Cover: 6 YA Reads to Inspire Your Inner Royal

Three Dark Crowns, by Kendare Blake
Triplets Mirabella, Arsinoe, and Katharine are already queens in name, but only one will survive to rule the island of Fennbirn. In order to be crowned, one queen must kill her sisters. Each girl is armed with one of the island’s three powers: control of the elements, poison, or nature. At least, Mirabella is—and she’s also the only sister who’s not prepared to kill. Katharine and Arsinoe have yet to master their abilities, and with the battle for the throne fast approaching, they’re growing desperate. But as Katharine and Arsinoe seek out dangerous alternatives to the powers they should have, they start to upset the island’s carefully balanced traditions. Every decision has a consequence, and it’s not always easy to predict how far the ripples will go in this dark, addictive fantasy that’ll have you rooting for all three sisters at once.

The Traitor Prince, by C. J. Redwine
In this dark retelling inspired by The Prince and the Pauper, crown prince Javan is ready to graduate from the boarding school he’s attended for the past ten years and finally start ruling Akram. Unfortunately, he’s not the only one who wants to reign, and a prince that hasn’t been seen in a decade is easy to replace. When Javan attempts to reveal the imposter who’s taken his place, he’s labeled a traitor and thrown in the worst prison Akram has to offer. His only hope for regaining his identity is winning the prison’s annual tournament, but he’s going to need the help of the warden’s slave, Sajda, to make it through alive. Out in February, Traitor Prince is a fast-paced, thriller of a fairy tale that’ll leave you eager to read the rest of the Ravenspire companion novels, and maybe re-watch Aladdin while you’re at it.

The Cruel Prince, by Holly Black
If you’re looking for bloodthirsty faeries, killer plot twists, and a rollercoaster of emotions, look no further than Holly Black. In The Cruel Prince, Jude and her sisters are mortals, living a treacherous, gorgeous life in the High Court of the Fae. Mortals have their place in the High Court, but a life of servitude is not what Jude wants—she wants to be respected. To earn that respect, she plans to take on Cardan, the youngest fae prince and her resident bully. Soon their rivalry opens a window into the murky world of High Court politics, and with the coronation of a new prince coming up, things are going to get messy. It’s not out ’til January, but don’t worry, you can spend the meantime reading (or re-reading) The Darkest Part of the Forest.

The Crown’s Game, by Evelyn Skye
Welcome to an alternative Russia, where tsar is eager to find a new Imperial Enchanter. With two potential candidates, the tsar calls for a magical duel between Vika, a powerful enchantress, and Nikolai, an orphan boy who happens to be best friends with the tsar’s son, Pasha. The competition gets complicated when Vika and Nikolai find that their magic pulls them together rather than inspires them to kill each other. Plus, there’s Pasha—Pasha, who might be in love with Vika, but definitely doesn’t want his best friend to die. If you loved The Night Circus, The Crown’s Game will win you over with its over-the-top magic and triangle of star-crossed emotions.

Reign of the Fallen, by Sarah Glenn Marsh
In this upcoming fantasy, the kingdom of Karthia is ruled by an undead king. Odessa is one of the kingdom’s beloved necromancers, responsible for safely raising the dead and preventing them from becoming dangerous, murderous Shades. Except suddenly there are more Shades than ever, and dealing with the fact that someone might be creating Shades on purpose isn’t something Odessa is currently prepared for—not while she’s grieving the loss of her former lover, Evander. Still, her burgeoning crush on Meredy, her childhood friend, might distract Odessa from the grief, if she can pull herself together long enough to save the kingdom. Monsters, Greek(ish) mythology, and girl crushes combine to make Reign of the Fallen a definite 2018 must-read.

Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard
In a world ruled by the Silvers, whose blood grants them special abilities, the powerless Reds remain subservient—for now. Mare Barrow never wanted to be the face of a rebellion, but her accidental discovery of her lightning powers propels her from common Red girl to a symbol of everything wrong with the current political system. Unfortunately for Mare, the Silvers know it, which is why they proclaim her a lost Silver princess and stash her away in the palace. Before long, Mare is secretly aiding the rebellious Scarlet Guard and attempting to navigate the palace intrigue. Red Queen is book one in an increasingly chilling, bloodthirsty series that’ll have you eagerly awaiting the final installment. Luckily, War Storm hits shelves in May.